Public Consultation on Draft Small Public Service Vehicle (Emergency Measure COVID-19) (Fees) Regulations 2020
NTA is responsible for regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry in Ireland. As part of this regulatory function, and in accordance with Section 7, Licensing regulations, of the Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 & 2016, NTA may make regulations in relation to the fees charged in respect of applications for licences and other matters relating to licences.
Schedule 1 to the Taxi Regulation (Small Public Service Vehicle) Regulations 2015 specifies the fees payable in respect of the renewal of an SPSV licence for both six and twelve month licence periods. The annual SPSV licence renewal fee currently stands at €150 for non–wheelchair accessible vehicles and €75 for wheelchair accessible vehicles, however licences held in respect of vehicles which have reached their 10th anniversary of initial registration, must be renewed every six months at pro-rata rates.
As at 09 October, the SPSV fleet comprised 22,020 taxis, hackneys and limousines in active and inactive licence status (i.e. eligible to be renewed). To assist the SPSV industry which has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic and to retain a supply of SPSVs for the travelling public nationwide in the future, the Minister for Transport’s 2021 Budget speech specified that funding would be made available to NTA to waive standard vehicle licence renewal fees for the calendar year 2021. The intention of the 2021 renewal fee waiver is to keep operators attached to the industry through financial assistance, coupled with regulatory, technical and health guidance provided.
The purpose of the Draft Small Public Service Vehicle (Emergency Measure COVID-19) (Fees) Regulations 2020 is to give effect to the renewal fee waiver by temporarily amending the renewal fees referenced in Schedule 1 to the Taxi Regulation (Small Public Service Vehicle) Regulations 2015 through a standalone, time bound clause for the calendar year 2021. This amendment is intended to be made as an exceptional provision and emergency measure resultant from the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that public transport, specifically including small public service vehicles, is deemed by Government an essential service.
The terms and conditions applicable to SPSV inspections including those governing cancellations and no-shows, will also be amended in light of the Draft Small Public Service Vehicle (Emergency Measure COVID-19) (Fees) Regulations 2020.
NTA temporarily waived late renewal fees (up to €500) from 28 March 2020 to 31 March 2021. NTA has extended this temporary late renewal fees waiver has been extended to 12 June 2021. After this date, a reduced late renewal fee will be payable in respect of renewing an expired SPSV licence until 31 December 2021. Thereafter, SPSV licensing fees will revert to those set out in the Taxi Regulation (Small Public Service Vehicle) Regulations 2015.
SPSV licences must be renewed within 12 months of the licence entering an expired status.
Draft Regulation
Draft Small Public Service Vehicle (Emergency Measure COVID-19) (Fees) Regulations 2020
Thank you for expressing your interest in the Public Consultation on Draft Small Public Service Vehicle (Emergency Measure COVID-19) (Fees) Regulations 2020. The closing date for submissions was 17:00 on Thursday 12 November.
All submissions must include the full name and email address of the person making the submission. NTA is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 and, therefore, must consider any request for information made under that Act. Any submissions received may be published.